SD Agricultural Education and FFA History

FFA Expansion after the early years

November 9, 2017
By Clark W. Hanson
Professor Emeritus, Agricultural Education, SDSU

Articles four and five included a broad description of the passage of the federal Smith-Hughes Act and the early years of the FFA.

Craig Shryock, current agricultural education instructor at Wessington Springs High School has provided some interesting insights into a specific South Dakota school. Craig’s great uncle, Delbert Shryock, started teaching vocational agriculture classes at Wessington Springs before the passage of the Smith-Hughes Act. Delbert participated in some type of teacher certification program enabling him to teach under the Smith-Hughes Act. Delbert Shyrock was also the coach of the school’s basketball team. This is an early illustration that vocational agriculture teachers served as athletic coaches.

Delbert eventually traveled west to teach school in Rapid City and Black Hawk schools and is credited with starting the Junior High School program in Rapid City.

In 1969, Mr. Delbert Shryock received special recognition for his efforts in starting the Wessington Springs High School Vocational Agriculture program. Mr. Delbert Shyrock responded to the recognition with the following comments:

“I’ve worked with young people all my life and I’ve loved every bit of it. Even the disappointments were worth the bother…but I just can’t hardly believe the thrill it is, and the wonderful time you’ve given to me here.”

In 1919-1920 eleven South Dakota high schools were reimbursed salaries for instructors teaching vocational agriculture with 185 students enrolled. Twenty years later 68 schools were offering the curriculum with an all time high enrollment of 2456 students.
With the start of the various high school agriculture clubs, judging competition between clubs and schools was an activity that received support. Numerous organizations in the upper mid-west assumed the responsibility to offer such competition. A group of Kansas City businesses and agricultural organizations initiated the National Congress of Vocational Agriculture Students for three years hosting judging contests, livestock shows and educational programs for students in vocational classes and 4-H members. It was at the third conference that a group of teachers and students organized and conducted the first National FFA Convention based on a functional model from the state of Virginia.

In the spring of 1928, twenty- six of the twenty-nine South Dakota high schools offering agriculture classes entered the state-judging contest conducted at South Dakota State College. The winners participated in the National Livestock Judging Contests held in Kansas City and Memphis.

During the South Dakota Spring Judging events of 1929 plans previously discussed were finalized to establish a state organization for vocational agriculture students.
In October 1929, the National FFA organization granted a state charter to the South Dakota State Association. South Dakota’s own Andrew Sundstrom was elected National FFA President in 1934. Within ten years of the start of the South Dakota FFA Association, 140 members had been awarded the State Farmer degree and nine members had earned the American Farmer Degree.

Numerous components of the National FFA Organization were developed during this time period:

• 1929 – Official FFA colors, national blue and corn gold, were adopted.
  

• 1929 – Farm Journal magazine sponsored the first National Chapter Contest.
  

• 1930 – Adopted official FFA Creed as written by E.M. Tiffany.
  

• 1930 – Dress attire of dark blue shirt, blue or white pants, blue cap and yellow tie were adopted as the first official dress uniform.
  

• 1930 – Farm Journal Press of Philadelphia published the first official FFA Manual.
  

• 1930 – First national Public Speaking Contest was held.
  

• 1933 – Blue corduroy jacket was adopted at FFA official dress. The jacket was designed by the Ohio FFA.
  

• 1935 – Active national FFA membership exceeded 100,000 members.
  

• 1937 – National FFA Camp and leadership school started in D.C.

Congress was also active during this time frame by enacting the following legislation supporting the Smith – Hughes Act of 1917:

• George-Reed Act – 1929 – additional appropriations.
• George-Elzey Act – 1934 – additional appropriations.
• George-Deen Act – 1936 – additional appropriations.

The results of the Federal legislation were important. Features included authorization of annual funds, funding for supervisor travel, use of funds for state director (supervisor) salary and expenses, out of school youth programs, support FFA travel and purchase or rent equipment for instruction, teacher training, guidance and research.

In 1936, a South Dakota course of study was published including: “…time allotment and sequence for both farming and ranching areas, a course outline with suggested activities, and also a unit on building a supervised farming program which included budget planning, record keeping and the development of a long time program.”
The course of study was used as a guide by instructors when making out courses to be followed in their local departments. Instructors, the Teacher Training Department and Mr. W.F. Beard, State Supervisor, developed the course of study.

During the 1938-1939 school year district eliminations were conducted for the public speaking contest. The district winners went on to compete at the state contest in Brookings.

The next articles will feature reports and interviews with former students and instructors of South Dakota vocational agriculture programs in the 1940’s, 1950’s. and 1960’s.